60 new magistrates undergo induction course

CHIEF Justice Luke Malaba yesterday commended the government for lifting the lid on public service recruitment, saying the move had enabled the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to hire an additional 60 magistrates to speed up trials.

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE

Officiating at an induction programme for the new magistrates, Malaba said: “You may all be aware that your recruitment came at a time when the magistracy is severely understaffed. In an effort to mitigate the challenges the country is facing and to turn around the economy, Treasury imposed a general freeze on recruitment of personnel by all public-funded institutions. The JSC is grateful that the government acceded to its request to lift the freeze.”

Malaba said the seven-week training programme was aimed at imbuing the prospective officers with the ethos, values and traditions of judicial office and on-the-job skills on practical aspects of all facets of magisterial work.

“It is a requirement that one goes through a rigorous programme of training. The training is aimed at imbuing the prospective officer with the ethos, values and traditions of judicial office,” Malaba said.

“At the same time, it provides on-the-job skills on the practical aspects of all facets of magisterial office. This stems from the realisation that there is no law school which trains magistrates,” Malaba said. He warned the new magistrates to abide by the restrictions of judicial officer, saying they must forego some of the luxuries and activities that they might have previously considered harmless to their reputations.